Internet platforms such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! will be the subject of a widespread inquiry by European regulators to determine whether they are transparent enough in how they display search results.

The inquiry will seek to address concerns of European business and politicians about the dominance of U.S. tech giants and whether there is a level playing field for European firms.

However, it is not an antitrust inquiry which can lead to fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global sales.

In a draft of the Commission’s strategy for creating a digital single market, seen by Reuters, it says it will “carry out a comprehensive investigation and consultation on the role of platforms, including the growth of the sharing economy.”

The investigation, expected to be carried out next year, will look into the transparency of search results – involving paid for links and advertisements – and how platforms use the information they acquire.

Read the Full Article: Source – Reuters
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/04/17/uk-eu-internet-investigation-idUKKBN0N81Y220150417

source not found